Driving control for axminster looms



Dec. 7, 1948. c. R. KRONOFF ET AL 4 2,455,503

DRIVING CONTROL FOR AXMINSTER LOOMS Filed Aug. 9, 1946 3 Shets-Sheet l INVENTORS CLAIRE/V05 R. mow/0F- VICTOR F. SEPAV/GH ATTORNEY 1943- c. R. KRONOFF ET DRIVING CONTROL FOR AXMINSTER LOOMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1 946 FIG.2

v mvgmoas swam/wuss R. KRONOFF as warm F. SEPAV/OH ATTQRNEY FIG.IO

7, 1948. c, KRONQFF ETAL 2,455,503

DRIYING CONTROL FOR AXMINSTER LOOMS Filed Aug. 9, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 5 :7 mn i Li q- INVENTORS CLARENCE R. KRO/VOFF VICTOR E .SEPAV/GH ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1948 2,455,503 DRIVING CONTROL FOR AXMINSTER LOOMS Clarence R. Kronoff and Victor F. Sepavich, Worcester, Mass., assignors to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, WorcestenMass a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 9, 1946, Serial No. 689,405

14 Claims.

. This invention relates to improvements in driving control mechanism for Axminster looms and it'is the general object of the invention to proyide means by which the speed of operation of the loom can be readily changed by the weaver.

needle for laying the weft, the lay, the tube frame transporting mechanism, the tube frame transfer arms, the knives which cut the tufts from the spools on the tube frames, the harnesses, and various other parts, such as the selvage shuttle,

the letoff mechanism for the warp beams, etc.

These parts do not all operate at the same time nor do they all operate continuously, Thus, on the three-shot Axminster the knives and transfer arms operate every three picks, but the arms are ordinarily. stationary during the actual cutting of the tufts and then move as the knives return to their normal position. The weft needle operates each pick, as do also the harness frames, but the latter will generally be stationary to hold the shed open during the time that the needle is laying weft. The mechanism for moving the tube frame transporting chains operates in threepick time and generally operates simultaneously with other parts of the loom. Furthermore, in a with a full complement of tube frames, in which case the overhead mechanism and its drive will be under maximum load. At other times the same loom may have a fewer number of tube frames, and the overhead load will be less. The

' vibration factor contributed by the overhead will therefore vary from time to time, and this variation will afiect the optimum speed of the 100m.

In order to permit the weaver to operate the 100m at the highest speed free from objectionable vibration it is an important object of our invention to provide means by which the loom driving motor can'have its speed varied throughout a considerable range so that by varying the speed of the motor the weaver can determine the best and most efficient rate of operation for the loom. It is another object of our invention to place the loom driving motor under control of shipper mechanism including preferably a bar extending across the front of the loom so constructed that it can move longitudinally to start and stop the motor, and can also be moved angularly on its axis to control motor speed. Shipper mechanism constructed in this manner enables the weaver type of Axminster loom which has gone into ex'-' tensive use the lay has an uneven motion in that it has a short beat for at least one of the three picks of the complete cycle and has full beats for the other two picks.

Each mechanism has its own period of free vibration, and the loom when running requires the mechanism to move at a rate proportionalto loom speed. This rate may be considered a forced vibration and when the same as the free vibrational period, resonance is set up which amplifies" though two looms may appear to be exactlythe same, there will nevertheless be sufficient differences in the vibration characteristics of their severalparts so that a particular speed which may be entirely satisfactory for onev loom may not be equally satisfactory for the other. For this reason it is difiicult to predetermine a loom speed for any givenloom which will permit it to run with minimum vibration An Axminster loom may operate at one time to control the speed of the motor from any point along the length of the shipper bar.

As heretofore constructed Axminster looms have generally employed a motor switch to control the loom motor and an additional control,

such as a clutch, moved by the shipper mechanism to connect the loom to the motor. It is another object of our present invention to provide an electric motor which has permanent driving connection with the Axminster loom and control the motor as to its periods of operation and non- 1 operation by means of shipper mechanism which when in one position causes the motor and loom to run and when in another position causes the motor and loom to stop.

The speed control devices for the motor include variable resistances and it is another object of our invention to associate these resistances with the shipper bar so that they can be altered vby angular movement of the bar. The motor may be'of the direct current shunt wound type with will appear as the description proceeds, our invention resides in the combination and arrange-- ment of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of our invention is set forth,

Fig. l is a diagrammatic side view of an Axminster loom having our invention :applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevationsimilar to the lower left hand part of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on line 3-3, Fig. 2, showing the connection between the shipper bar and the electric 'contrdls for the motor,

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are vertical sections online 4 1, 5-5 and -5, respec.tively,.of:-Fig.l3,

Fig. '7 is an enlarged front view of the shipper bar looking in the directionofiarrow I, Fig. 1,

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing "the relation between the shipper bar, the loom controlling switch and the variable resistances or potentiometers which varythesmotor speed, and

Figs. 9 and 10 are vertical sections on lines 9-9 and Hl-Ill,.respectively, Fig. 3.

Referring particularlyto .Fig. 1, there is shown :2, loom frame It supporting warp beams ll supplying warp W which passes through and is controlled by a harness frame 12. A lay l3 has a reed 54 through which the warp passes and by which the weft in the warp shed is beat up after being laid by a weft needle I5. The overhead mechanism It includes a tube frame transporting chain ii to which are detachably connected a series of tube frames 18. A transfer or transferrer arm L9 is provided at eachend of the loom for the purpose of disconnecting the tube frames one at a time from the chain l1 and moving them down to tuft forming position. After the tufts have been formed in the fabric F the tube frame is raised a short distance and the tufts are cut by means of front and back knives or pile cutters and 2|, respectively. The tube frame .is then returned to the chain and the latter is advanced to bring the next tube frame into transfer position by means of feed mechanism 22 which rocks the pullover shaft 23.

The loom has a bottom shaft 25 to which are secured the usual cams for operating the several parts of the loom thus far described. There are ordinarily-a number of cams secured along the length of the shaft '25, butin the present instance only the cam 25 for operating the lay i3 is shown.

-nisms 22, as well as other parts of the loom not specifically set forth herein. The needle is gen- .erally operated by a mechanism located at the side of the loom and deriving its power from shaft 25. The latter is therefore the source of power for operating all of the several parts of the loom and these parts are moved in definite time relationship with respect to each other during the loom cycle. If the loom is of the so-called three-shot Axminster type shaft 25 will make a rotation every third pick of the .loom, thereby causing all of the several mechanismsof the loom to perform their functions at least once during the three-pick cycle. The needle and harnesses will ordinarily operate each pick of the loom, while the transferrer arms 19, the knives 20 and 2:1, and the pullover mechanism 22 will operate at three-pick intervals.

All of the matter thus far described is common to the usual Axminster loom and the various mechanisms are positively connected and operate in the usual manner.

In carrying our present invention into effect we provide improved means by whichshaft 25 can be controlled both as to its periods of running and non-running, and also as to its speed or rate of turning. A gear is secured to shaft 25 and meshes with aipinion-3l-driven by a direct .current -s'hunt'woun'd motorlM. Thlsmotor may conveniently be located as shown in Fig. 2 and its armature is permanently geared to the shaft 25 by means of the gear and pinion. Whenever the motor turns the loom will operate and the speed of operation vwill be determined by the rate at which the motor is running.

Themotor is controlled by a shipper bar 35, :seeiEig. '7, the :left end of which is guided in a slide bearing 36 secured to the loom frame and therig'ht-end of which is connected to a mechanismdesignated generally at 31 and including a bearing 38 secured as at 39 to the loom frame. The mechanism 37 is shown in detailin Figs. 3 to 6. The bearing 38 has a bore 'i'ilin'which is slidably mounted a cylinder 4| having a head 42 slidablelongitudinally of thela'rger left h'an'd end 43 of bore 30 as viewed in Fig. '3. The cylinder is reduced as at and slides through the'smaller right hand part 45 of the bore 40. The smaller part M of 'the'cylin'der "4! projects into the larger part of thebore 4B w'h'en'theparts are inthe position shown in Fig. 3.

Rotatabl'e within the cylinder 41 is a'sleeve 50 the left end of which projects beyond 'the'c'ylin'der "M and "has "a collar 5! secured thereto by a 'pin '52. 'The latte'r pa'sse's through the head "53 of a plug "54 the outer left end 'of which is reduced as at 55 and has a driving fit withthe right hand member 59 of'a universal joint designated at 56. A left member 57 of joint 56 has 'a driving fit with a gudgeon '58 secured to the previously described shipper bar 35.

A key 68 prevents angular movement of the cylinder '41 with respect to the hearing 'but allows 'the cylinder to slide -longitudinally in the bore ID; The cylinder 41 is provided with oil holes 61 and the "intermediate part of the sleeve is reduced as at 1'62. The oil holes communicate with the bore till when the parts are in the position shown 'inFig. 3, and the cylinder is recessed as at '63 adjacent tothe oil holes so that'when moved to the extreme right position as viewed in Fig. "3 the recess will register with an oil cup 64 carried by v the bearing 38.

The right end of the cylinder '41 is keyed as at $5 to a collar 66 in which is threaded an adjusting screw 61 which forces a spring 68 downward- 15' against a lock plunger 69. The plunger coopera'tes with a notched locked wheel 10 having a hub .H extended into and secured to the sleeve 50 in any approved manner, as by Welding. The lock wheel has a square central opening 15 which receives a bar 1-6 also of square cross section and sli-dable in the opening 15.

'Bar 16 extends to the right for cooperation with resistances located in a stationary housing I1 seeureii to switch box 99. These resistances are designated at RA and RF and correspond to the controls for the armature and v'fi'e'ld coil, respectively, of the motor. A stub shaft T8 secured to bar TB is rotatable on housing l1 and held against longitudinal motion by a flange 19. An arm 80 of unitRA is secured to and insulated from shaft .18 and engages a resistor element '8] mounted .on a disk .82 of insulating material fixed to the housing TI. The lower part of element 81 'is the vvariable resistance thereof and is connected to ductor and is connected to wire 84. An arcuate conductor 85 on disk 82 engages the tail -86 of arm 80 and is connected to wire 81.

In similar manner, unit RF has an arm 88 and a resistor element 89 inverted relatively to element 8I. Wires 83', 84' and 81 lead from unit RF.

With both arms 80 and 88 in their lower right hand positions all the armature resistance between wires 83 and 81 is cut out, and all the field resistance between wires 81 and 84 is cut in. Under these conditions the motor runs at a maximum speed. As the arms turn in a clockwise direction to the positions shown in Figs. 9 and 10, due to a similar motion of the shipper bar, the resistance between wires 83 and 81 increases to reduce armature current, but the field resistance remains unchanged, arm 88 not yet having begun to move along resistance RF. When the arms reach this position the motor runs at a reduced or intermediate speed with the armature current at its lowest level and the field current at minimum strength.

Further clockwise turning of the arms leaves the armature resistance unchanged, but there will be a reduction in the field resistance with result- .ant increase in field strength and a furtherreduction in the motor speed. When the arms reach their extreme upper right position all the armature resistance will be in and all of the field resistance will be out, and the motor will be running at its slowest speed.

The bearing 31 has threaded thereinto a screw 90 which holds a spring 9I against a ball lock 92. The latter can enter one or the other of two lock notches 93 and 94 formed in the reduced part 44 of cylinder 4| to hold the cylinder and sleeve yieldingly lock-ed in either the full line or dotted line position of Fig. 3.

A link 95 is pivoted as at 95 to the collar 66 and extends to the right to have connections with an arm 91 attached to a small shaft 98 carried by a switch box 99. The latter contains a switch I indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 8 and will be open or closed depending upon the position of link 95. When link 95 is in the right hand position thereof indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 switch I00 will be closed, but when the link is in the full line position shown in Fig. 3 the switch will be open.

In operation, the shipper bar 35 will normally be to the left so that cylinder M will be in the full line position shown in Fig. 3. In this position the switch I00 is open and the motor is dead. I When it is desired to start the loom, shipper bar 35 will she moved to the right, thereby acting through the universal joint 58 to cause the cylinder H to slide to the right in bore 40 and cause collar I to enter the bore. During this movement the sleeve 50 also moves longitudinally to the right and .the lock wheel slides over the square bar 16 as the collar 56 moves link 95 to the dotted line position to close switch I00. When in this position ball 92 will be located in recess 93 to hold the parts in running position. The motor will now be in operation and will cause the loom to run at a speed which is determined by the angular position of the shipper bar and arms 80 and 80 of resistance units RA and RF, respectively, as

i already described.

If the weaver should desire to change the speed of the motor he will rotate the bar 35 on its axis :and lock wheel 10, cause angular movement of the square bar Hi. This causes a change'in the resistance value of one or the other of the resistance units RA or'RF-the effect of which is to alter motor speed. The lock plunger 69 cooperates with the wheel 10 to hold the shipper bar 35 in any angular position to which it is moved by the weaver.

The lower left hand part of Figs. 1 and 2 show a cabinet or box I05 which contains the electric devices for changing the speed of the motor when the shipper bar 35 is moved angularly. These devices of themselves form no part of our present invention, but are under control of the resistances RA and RF. A cable I06 runs from the cabinet I05 to the motor M and will ordinarily contain wires leading to the motor armature and its field coil. A second cable I01 leads from cabinet I05 and has wires I08 and I09 leading to the switch I00, and also the wires connected to the resistances RA and RF, shown in Figs. 9 andlO.

When it is desired to stop the loom the shipper bar 35 will be moved to the left to return the parts on bearing 31 to the full line position shown in Fig. 3 the effect of which will be to open switch I00 to stop the motor. This movement of the shipper bar to the left does not disturb the setting of the resistances RA and RF, since these settings are held by the lock wheel 10, and the loom can therefore be restarted at its former speed. If abnormal vibration should develop the weaver may either rotate the bar 35 in a direction .to effect an immediate reduction of speed ofythe motor, or he can move the bar to the left to stop the motor, depending upon the severity of the effector the vibration.

Whenever the shipper bar is moved to the run- I ning position the oil cup 64 registers with the recess 63 and the sleeve 50 is therefore lubricated. As a matter of practical operation there is generally some oil in the larger part of the bore 40 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, so that the head 42 and large part 43 of bore 40 are also lubricated. If needed a drop of oil can be placed on the bar 16 to permit free sliding thereof with respect to the square bore I5.

From the foregoing it will be seen that we have provided means by which the speed of the driving motor of an Axminster loom can be controlled by angular movement of the shipper bar 35. This bar also controls periods of motor running and stopping and therefore gives the weaver complete control over themotor. The motor is geared directly to the loom so that loom operation is controlled from the shipper bar. Control of the resistances RA and RF by angular movement of the bar 35permits the weaver to operate the loom at the highest optimum speed at which vibration of the several parts of the loom is least. We have found in the operation of our invention that one wide Axminster loom to which it was applied vibrated objectionably at 42 picks per minute, but operated much more smoothly at 50 picks. Most of the parts of the loom are of course of fixed 'weight and therefore have their own independent periods of vibration, but the mechanism 22 which advances thechain will be subject to a changin load due to diminution of the weight of the pile yarn on'the tube frames, and this load will also vary depending upon the number of tube frames used and their position on the chain. The ability v to vary the speed of the motor enables the weaver to adjust loom speedto these changeable condifr tions in the overhead mechanism as well as en- -'abling him to determine the best speed at which ference by objectionablevibration. Furthermore, the'mechanism or connecting unit 31 affords a convenient means for attaching the shipper bar 35 tothe electric controls contained in the case ll andthe box 99 while at the same time providing adequate lubrication for the slidingandturning parts.

Having thus described our'inventionlt will be seen that changes and modifications maybe made therelnby those skilled in the-art without departingfrom the spirit and scopeof the invention J and'wodo not wish to be limited to the-details herein disclosed, but what we claim is:

I, In an Axmlnster 100m having tubeframe transporting, weft. beat-up, tuft. cutting, and

' weft layingmechanisms alloperated'by ash-aft forming part of the loom, an electric mot operatively connectedto saidshaft, electric curcuit meansxfor the motor including: a Switch and speed'controlling resistance means, a shipper bar -mounted on the loom for angular and longitudinal movement, and connections-between the .bar and said switch to controlthe. latter bylongitudinal movements of the bar and control the resistance means by angular movement of:the bar.

2. In an- Axminister loom having tube frame transporting, weft beat-up, tuft cutting, and weft laying mechanisms all operated by a shaft-forming part of the loom, an electric motor operatlvely connected to the shaft, av shipper bar mounted on a loom for angular-and longitudinal movement relatively. to the loom. an electric switchelfective. when closedto cause running of the. motor and effective whenopen to cause stoppage of the motor, resistance means effective to v ry the speedof the motor, and connections between said shipper bar, said switch. and resistance means effective by longitudinal, movement of the bar to control the position of the switch and by angular movement of the. bar to contr th resistance means,

3. In an Axminster loom having tube frame transporting, weft beat-up, tuft cutting,- and weft laying mechanisms all operatedbya shaft forming part of the loom, an electric motor operatively connected to the shaft, a shippericar mounted on the 100m for longitudinal and angular movement with respect to the loom, andcontrol meansdntermediate the bar and the motor effective when the bar is moved longitudinally to determine whether or not the motor shallrun and effective when the bar is moved angularly to determine the rate at which the motor shall run.

4. In an Axminister loomha ing tube frame transporting, weft beat-up, tuft cutting, and weft layingmechanisms all operated by a shaft forming partof the loom, an electricmotor operatively connected to the shaft, a shipper bar mounted on theloom for longitudinal motion relatively therei to and also for angular movement when in any longitudinal position thereof, and control means between the shipp r bar and the motor effective by. angular movement of the bar in any longitudinal position thereof to determine the speed of electric circuit means for the purpose. of. causing the latter to varythe motorspeed continuous y throughout a range fro a, given minimum, to a speed corresponding to the, maximum Speed, at which the loom is .capableof running, and ship- 7 per means operatively connected to th resistance moons and, by which said resistance means can be varied to alter the speed of the motor.

6. Iii-an Axminister 100m having tube frame transporting, weft beat-up, tuft cutting, and weft laying mechanismsall operated by a shaft forming part of the loom, each of said mechanisms having its. o Wnperiod of vibration Which is inreased at certain loom speeds and diminished at other loom speeds, a driving motor operatively connected to the shaft, and means to vary the speed of th motor to vary the speed of the loom continuously throughout a range. from a given minimum to the maximum speed at which the loom is capable of running to determine the speed of the loom at which the accumulated vibrations of said several mechanisms causes a minimum interference witheflicient loom operation.

7. In an Axminster loom having av pluralityof separate mechanisms one of. which is atube frame transporting system all performing their several functions in timed relation and each having its own periodof vibration. which. varieswith the speed of the. loom, means causing all, of said mechanisms to operate. in timed relation. an electric motor operatively connected to said mechani ms, a d m ans to vary the speed of the motor to vary the speed of the loom continuously throughout a range from a. i n minimum to h maximum spe d at which. th l s cap ble of runningto determine the speed of the. loom at which the accumulated vibrations of said several mechanismscauses aminimum interference with efficient loom operation.

8. In an Axminster loom having a plurality of interconnected mechanisms including operating mechanism for a tube frame transporting system the weight of which is subjectto variations due to changes in the number of tube frames thereon and the weight of the pile forming yarn on the tube frames as the yarn is consumed during loom operation, each mechanism having its own period of vibration and the period of vibration of the transporting system mechanism varying with the weight thereof, a variable speed electric motor operatively connected to said mechanisms, and control means to vary the speed of the motorto vary the speed of the 100m continuously throughout a range from a given minimum to the maximum speed at which the loom is capable of running to determine the rate of operation of said mechanisms at which the accumulated vibrations thereof is a minimum consistent with eflicient operation.

9. In an Axminster loom having a plurality of separate mechanisms operating in timed relation and deriving power for their operation from a variable speed motor which can be stopped and started, a shipper bar mounted on the loom for longitudinal and angular movement relatively to the loom, a control unit operatively connected to the bar and moving longitudinally and angularly therein, a switch to determine when a motor shall run, resistance means to determine the speed at which the motor shall run, means forming part of said unit mounted for sliding movement only relatively to the loom and operatively connected to the switch, and other means. formingv part of said unit mounted for angular movement relative to the loom and operatively connected to the resistance means;

l0. Inspeed-icontrol means for aloom havin weft laying, weft beat-up and warp harness mechanisms all operatively connected to a variable speed motor controlled by a switch and the speed of which is controlled by a resistance unit, a bearing on the loom, a member mounted in the bearing for sliding movement only operatively connected to the switch, and a second member in the bearing mounted for angular movement relatively thereto operatively connected to the resistance unit.

11. In speed control means for a loom having weft laying, weft beat-up and warp harness mechanisms all operatively connected to a variable speed motor controlled by a switch and the speed of which is controlled by a resistance unit, abearing on the loom having a longitudinal bore, a member mounted in said bore for sliding movement only relatively to the bore and operatively connected to said switch, and a second member mounted within the first member for angular motion and operatively connected to the resistance.

12. In speed control means for a loom having weft laying, weft beat-up and warp harness mechanisms all operatively connected to a variable speed motor controlled by a switch and the speed of which is controlled by a resistance unit, a support for the resistance unit fixed to the loom, a bearing on the loom, a member mounted for longitudinal movement only relatively to the bearing and operatively connected to the switch, a second member mounted for angular movement relatively to the bearing, means causing said members to move in unison longitudinally, a noncircular sliding connection operatively connecting the second member to the resistance unit, and a shipper bar extending along the front of the loom mounted on the latter for longitudinal and angular movement and operatively connected to said members.

13. In speed control means for a loom having weft laying, weft beat-up and warp harness mechanisms all operatively connected to a variable speed motor controlled by a switch and the speed of which is controlled by a resistance unit, a bearing on the loom having a longitudinal bore, a slide member movable longitudinally in said bore and held against angular motion relatively to the bearing, a cylinder rotatably mounted in said bore, means connecting the member to said switch, other means connecting the cylinder to said resistance unit, means on the bearing for introducing a lubricant into the bore, said member having openings to pass lubricant from the bore to said cylinder, and shipper means operatively connected to said member to slide the sam in said bore and operatively connected to said cylinder to rotate the latter.

14. In speed control and starting and stopping means for a loom, a variable speed motor connected to the loom in driving relation thereto, a. switch to determine when the motor shall start and stop, speed control means for the motor to determine the speed at which the motor and loom shall run, and shipper mechanism movable longitudinally to control the switch and movable angularly to control the speed control means.

CLARENCE R. KRONOFF. VICTOR F. SEPAVICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,363,996 Robb Nov. 28, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 370,850 Germany Mar. 8, 1923 525,644 Great Britain Sept. 2, 1940 

